Dudes!

The world leaders that did show up for COP29 posed for their annual family photo – although that family has a profound gender skew: just eight women and 70 men.

UN secretary-general António Guterres offered an opening speech that stated: “We are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, and time is not on our side.

“This is a story of unavoidable injustice. The rich cause the problem and the poor pay the highest price.”

Azerbaijani presient Ilham Aliyev took a slightly different route, and claimed their oil and gas resources were a “gift from God”.

He then criticised the west’s double standards and its “habit to lecture other countries” while consuming as much as they can import. If we want it, they can supply it. 

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer pledged one of the most ambitious targets; cutting UK emissions by 81% by 2035 (against a 1990 baseline). This was followed by limited details but promises not to tell people what to do. 

It doesn’t matter which rhetoric or political side you fall upon – fossil fuel emissions are still growing to record levels.

They’ve increased by 0.8% in 2024, which is 8% higher than the year the Paris Agreement was signed (Global Carbon Budget, 2024).

The atmosphere doesn’t care about your national borders.